Fats are needed in every cell of our bodies and are vital for regulating blood pressure, strengthening our immune system, and keeping our brains healthy. The human body can produce all the fatty acids it needs except for two - linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid) and alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid). These are essential fatty acids, and you must get them through your diet.

Omega-6 fatty acids have a pro-inflammatory role, while omega-3 fatty acids have an anti-inflammatory role. Although inflammation helps the immune system fight infection, chronic inflammation in the body can lead to diseases, including heart disease and autoimmune diseases.

Omega-6 is in most vegetable oils, poultry, leafy green vegetables, and nuts. Omega-3 is in a smaller number of foods, such as oily fish, seeds, and nuts.

An ideal ratio of omega 6:3 is about 2:1, which is usually achievable by changes in diet and supplementation of omega-3-rich fish oils or algae. As human diets have moved from that of hunter-gatherers to the modern agricultural era, the amount of omega-6 fatty acids we consume has increased dramatically. On average, we now get more than ten times the amount of omega-6 as omega-3. This ratio of around 16:1 is thought to be responsible for several inflammatory diseases, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

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